The Crafts of the Craft: Aspects of Witchcraft
Updated: Jun 20
When we refer to the different elements of “Ther Craft”, we are referring to the different means that are used in order to execute spells and rituals so practitioner can achieve that goal. The larger and most common used crafts and the following:
The Craft Of Candles
The Craft Of Herbs
The Craft Of Knots
The Craft Of Colours
The Craft Of Metals
The Craft Of Minerals
The Craft Of Idols
The Craft Of Letters
The Craft Of Fire
The Craft Of Spirits and Elementals
The Craft Of Symbols and Sympathy
The Craft Of Ecstasy
The Craft Of Sex
The Craft Of Candles
This is the most common and popular craft. The practitioner can achieve their goals by the use of candles over the appropriate colour, for example; read for love, green for wealth, blue for healing etc. the three main components in this craft are; concentration, visualisation, and willpower.
The Craft Of Herbs
This kind of craft is based on the use of herbs and plants, based on their properties, the practitioner can influence their path and achieve that goal. There are many uses for the herbs and plants, depending on every individual’s path. They can be used for charms, to make lockets, to use the medicinal properties for healing, to create aids for the Craft such as incense, or even use the magical and symbolical properties for spells and rituals.
The Craft Of Knots
This craft is very popular among all sorts of different parts, but its roots are based in the Celtic traditions. The practitioner can use string, yarn, robe, or twine of the appropriate colour and “bind” there which in order to manifest the goal. This is done by using notes whose number and technique varies depending on the purpose. Traditionally, when doing so, the practitioner is chanting their wishes in order to make a binding. Once this is done, according to many traditions, the final piece can either been buried in the ground in order for the charm to “read”, or be carried around as a talisman.
The Craft Of Colours
In this craft the colours are used in order to aid in concentration and to help the practitioner develop the needed emotional and mental state for them to achieve the goal, and also to symbolise the different aspects of the goal, for example; pink for romance, yellow for happiness etc. This craft can be applied on almost any path, as the chorus can be used on candles, clothes, ceremonial clothes, tools of the craft and so on.
The Craft Of Metals
Metals are mostly using the Craft for the making of talismans. The practitioner can make a talisman by choosing the correct metal for its purpose based on its properties, for example; gold for the sun, silver for the moon, or the association between certain deities and properties etc. Metals are also used for the making of magical tools such as the chalice, the athame, the cauldron etc.
The Craft Of Minerals
This is perhaps one of the most popular crafts even outside the magical circles, as everyone is aware of crystals, stones, and minerals. It’s crystal corresponds to different elements and properties, and most practitioners traditionally use minerals that they have charged with power themselves, in order to harmonise with them and make it easier to achieve their intentions. Of course, many can also take their power from the crystal as they vibrate in high frequencies and some of them, especially quartz, are excellent “batteries” for magical energies. All minerals can also be used as charms and talismans, with very popular as the ones used in healing practices such as “Crystal Therapy”.
The Craft Of Idols
The Idols, also known as Fetishes, have been used since the most ancient traditions. In this craft, a statue of an object, animal, human, or other creature is fashioned in a way to resemble its counterpart in their properties. This is most commonly known in the practice of hoodoo, were poppets also known as voodoo dolls are used in order to transfer anything that happens to them from the poppet to the intended target.
The Craft Of Letters
This is a rare yet interesting craft. This craft is always intended for another target. The practitioner writes down in the format of the poem their intention/charm/spell, and when the target reads the entirety of it, the spell is activated.
The Craft Of Fire
This is one of the most powerful and ancient forms of the Craft, perhaps the most ancient one along with the craft of symbols and sympathy. First of all, by having a fire the practitioner can call upon the power of fire (not the elemental fire), in order to empower their workings. The use of this craft is almost limitless, with the most common practices being; dancing around the fire, drawing energy from the fire, burning things and charms in the fire, or using its balance between creation and destruction.
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The Craft Of Spirits and Elementals
This is a tricky craft, is calling upon the elementals does not only require a lot of practice, skill, and power, but it is also deemed quite dangerous at times. Each elemental corresponds to different properties and has to be called in a specific order. If for example the intention is to banish, the elemental of fire has to be called last, but if the intention is to purify, the elemental of fire has to be called first. When working with elementals it is important to remember that all of them have to be called for a single purpose, because if not all of them are present then the natural forces go out of balance.
The Craft Of Symbols and Sympathy
Also called sympathetic magic, this is perhaps the most ancient of all crafts. The practitioner represents their end goal either by gestures, painting, idols, or other means such as acting and charades. In this craft the practitioners do not use objects or tools, other than the ones that they have crafted as a representation of their end goal. It is believed that cave drawings are not just depiction of hunting, at early forms of sympathetic magic where the cave people drew their wishes of what they would like to achieve when they go out to hunt.
The Craft Of Ecstasy
Another ancient craft, is ecstasy. The practitioner comes to this state of ecstasy by various means, for example; dance, chanting, man tries, the intake of substances etc. When they managed to achieve the highest state of trance, also called ecstasy, they can release all of the energy they have gathered along with an intention and direct it towards their goal or target.
The Craft Of Sex
This is an old and powerful craft. In the craft of sex, the power is gathered during a sex ritual and it is released when the practitioner achieves their orgasm. This is a tricky craft, as it is a very easy to lose track, divert, or even lose control which can lead to tampering with one’s life force. This is why it should only be practised with guidance by experienced practitioners, as it is important for one to know exactly what they want to do with their gathered energy once it is time to be released. Tantra, is perhaps the most popular magical path that uses the craft of sex.
NOTE:
I have asked a fellow Coven for some tips regarding supplies under various crafts, so here are some links that I hope you find useful:
The Craft Of Candles https://www.witchcraftemporium.co.uk/candles
The Craft Of Herbs https://www.witchcraftemporium.co.uk/herbs
The Craft Of Knots https://www.witchcraftemporium.co.uk/spell-ingredients-curios
The Craft Of Minerals https://www.witchcraftemporium.co.uk/crystals-stones
The Craft Of Letters https://www.witchcraftemporium.co.uk/writting-supplies
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